My story is simple. I’m a 29-year-old male who has struggled with Tourette syndrome since childhood. I was diagnosed at age 8. Since then I have been to a steady stream of doctors who prescribed a variety of medications, yet I experienced little success with them.

The final straw for me came about two years ago, when I decided to try Risperidol, an antipsychotic drug often prescribed for serious tics. I was so disillusioned and distressed by the extreme side effects of this medication that I vowed that I would never again take an antipsychotic medication and would be open to trying a different approach. Several months ago, I put the second part of that vow into motion.

My mother, a pediatrician, learned about Dr. Jeffrey Lazarus’s hypnosis practice through her medical connections. With the encouragement of my wife, I decided to give it a shot. Although initially apprehensive about engaging in hypnosis, I decided to take the plunge. What I learned was invaluable.

Dr. Lazarus opened my eyes to a new way of thinking about Tourette syndrome. He helped me disassociate myself from tics that I had always felt were a part of me. With the help of self-hypnosis, I have been able to reduce my symptoms nearly 75%.

The tics I had were primarily frequent motor tics: blinking, nose twitching, teeth grinding, and actions that would have been embarrassing in public.

I still struggle with Tourette syndrome from time to time, but the improvement was dramatic and quick. Dr. Lazarus helped me do this without the accompanying side effects of any medication. Most important, he showed me that reducing or eliminating tics that had bothered me for years was something I had control over. For a person who did not feel in control of his body for a long time, this was the greatest gift of all. I hope this is helpful to others suffering from tic disorders.

Matthew

Editor: The full name of this author was withheld on request. A stock image was used.